Product Description

Ride out west to join the last sawmill bride as she attempts to select her mate. Naomi Higgins isn't about to settle for just anybody. Carpenter Michael Strode and his son-a chip off the old block-are ready to start a new life. Can they convince Naomi to be a part of their future when problems from the past still haunt Hope Falls? Will secrets sabotage the struggling town-and any hope of romance?

Publisher's Description

Ride out west to join the last sawmill bride as she attempts to select her mate. Naomi Higgins isn’t about to settle for just anybody. Carpenter Michael Strode and his son—a chip off the old block—are ready to start a new life. Can they convince Naomi to be a part of their future when problems from the past still haunt Hope Falls? Will secrets sabotage the struggling town—and any hope of romance?

Author Bio

Kelly Eileen Hake received her first writing contract at the tender age of seventeen and arranged to wait three months until she was able to legally sign it. Since that first contract a decade ago, shes fulfilled twenty contracts ranging from short stories to novels. In her spare time, shes attained her BA in English literature and composition, earned her credential to teach English in secondary schools, and went on to complete her MA in writing popular fiction.

Writing for Barbour combines two of Kellys great loveshistory and reading. A CBA bestselling author and member of American Christian Fiction Writers, shes been privileged to earn numerous Heartsong Presents Readers Choice Awards and is known for her witty, heartwarming historical romances. A newlywed, she and her gourmet-chef husband live in Southern California with their golden lab mix, Midas!

The third in the Husbands for Hire series the mine is being riddled by mysterious explosions and cave ins. Along comes Michael, a carpenter in search of a safe place for his son away from his overbearing in-laws. But Michael isn't looking for love, especially after being roped into a marriage of convenience in the past. But he and Naomi find themselves drawn together amidst the turmoil at the mine, made even worse by Naomi's manipulative sister coming to town. Will they ever be able to make sense of all the chaos?

If you've read the other two books, I'm sure that this is a must-read! I came into the series with this third installment, so it did take me awhile to figure out what was going on. But when I did, I found this to have an engaging plot and plenty going on, with many twists and turns.

What made this book hard for me to read was just how horrible Naomi's sister was, she was a character that readers will probably love to hate. The main characters were strong, and I really liked Michael and Naomi and they both struggled to thrive in the midst of adversity and people that made their lives miserable.

Overall, a good way to tie up the ends of a series. I think my favorite character was Michael, because he had a calm leadership about him, and a strong faith. There were some pretty humorous situations, that were just the funniest to picture mentally. A great introduction to Kelly Eileen Hake's books.

I received this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I have read and enjoyed all three of the husbands for hire series by Kelly Eileen Hake and this last one is definitely my favorite. I loved the characters, the story, and the fact that all loose ends were tied up by the end of the book. The writing was in my opinion, the author's best and kept me turning the pages until the very end. The Christian values were there and the story line was great. Check them out for yourself--BUT read them in order!

This is book three in the Husbands For Hire Series. You do not have to read the others to enjoy this one but it does help. The other titles in the series are Rugged and Relentless and Tall, Dark and Determined.

My favorite part of this book was the list of characters in the front. Without that list I would have been lost. I had to refer to the list a few times to keep the story straight. There are a lot of characters in all her books in this series so be sure to pay attention to who is talking to whom!

I gave this book 4/5 stars. I liked the story line and thought the author wrote a compelling story. I did however find parts of the story boring. It may just be me however so please read the story for yourself as you may enjoy the long descriptions and tedious dialog.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.

Kelly Eileen Hake in her new book, "Strong and Stubborn " Book Three in the Husbands For Hire series published by Barbour Publishing Inc. takes us back to Hope Falls, Colorado in 1887.

From the back cover: Wanted: 1 3 Godfearing men_.Object: Marriage and joint ownership of a sawmill

Stubborn Last Choice_

When Naomi Higgins and her friends came to Hope Falls, Colorado, turning an abandoned mining town into a thriving sawmill required lots of hope_and husbands! With two other women already engaged, Naomi's the only bride left. And she's not about to settle for just anybody.

Meets Strong Last Chance_

Carpenter Michael Strode agreed to a marriage of convenience years ago, ending up with an already pregnant wife he didn't love. Now a widower with in-laws desperate to control their only heir, Mike needs to hide his son and start fresh. Hope Falls seems the perfect place.

Will the Past Keep Them from Moving Forward_Together?

Mike is ready to claim the life-and bride-of his choice. But when the man Naomi once loved comes to town, alongside the loggers vying for her hand, the competition could derail their newfound partnership.

Will old mistakes and new mysteries confuse new love, or will God's guidance help them forge a future?

"Strong and Stubborn" is the last book in this series and, I believe, is the best of the three. This whole series has been a clever twist on the mail order brides genre. This time is it mail order husbands and this is what makes it great fun to read. Michael didn't even answer the ad, he has come to town looking for a fresh start and meets Naomi. He prefers to keep his distance from her, even though he is attracted to her, until he finds out the truth and then he finds she is attracted to another man. Now he has to work to win her back. Ms. Hake is at her clever best and not only gives us a nice romance but wraps up the plot threads that have been dangling over the last two books. "Strong and Stubborn" is a Western, a romance and an altogether enjoyable read. I am sorry to see this series end however I do look forward to more from this very talented writer.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Barbour Publishing Inc. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."